1,000,000th axle manufactured

The 1,000,000th axle rolled off the assembly line at Schmitz Cargobull’s production facility in Altenberge at the end of September 2017. This reflects the success of the ROTOS running gear among customers. Schmitz Cargobull developed and produces the unit entirely in-house.

Advertisement

Schmitz Cargobull has yet another reason to celebrate in its 125th anniversary year: the 1,000,000th axle has been manufactured at its production facility in Altenberge. These axle units have been used exclusively on the company’s own vehicles since production commenced in 2004.

The running gear is a critical influence on the life cycle costs. That is why the development and constant optimisation of the company’s own running gear have become increasingly important in recent years. Absolutely perfect tracking and high suspension comfort, low thermal stress on the bearing and optimum braking performance combined with the safety features offered by innovative driving stability and braking programmes ensure a high level of readiness for the commercial vehicle. Every day, the production facility in Altenberge supplies the other Schmitz Cargobull plants in Vreden (D), Gotha (D), Toddin (D), Panev?žys (LT), Adapazari (TR) and Zaragoza (E) with the axles. Currently, approximately 90% of all trailers manufactured in the Altenberge plant are equipped with Schmitz Cargobull's own axle. This amounts to over 80% throughout the entire group. The production capacity has currently levelled off at approximately 150,000 units annually.

In the course of the last ten years, three versions of the ROTOS running have been launched. In addition to the standard axle with a 22.5" disc brake, a MEGA axle with a 19.5" disc brake is also available. A self-steering axle rounds out the range. Its cornering characteristics, particularly when driving in tight turning circles, where damage to the tyres can often occur due to contact with the inside kerbs on roundabouts, are significantly improved thanks to the self-steering axle. Significantly reduced wear of the overall running gear is another benefit of the self-steering axle.